


Loose Ends

by gaytriforce



Category: Love Simon - Fandom, Love Victor (TV 2020)
Genre: F/M, M/M, vengi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:35:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25316887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaytriforce/pseuds/gaytriforce
Summary: Victor comes out to Mia the night he first intended to, and Derek gets what he deserves.
Relationships: Benjamin "Benji" Campbell/Derek (Love Victor), Mia Brooks/Victor Salazar, Victor Salazar/Benji Campbell
Comments: 29
Kudos: 153





	Loose Ends

“We should probably eat these before they get cold.” Mia gests, but Victor’s heart is in a different place. He tries to laugh, poking at the sushi with his chopsticks. “Just a good old-fashioned sushi joke.”

Mia is so cute. Victor almost wishes he could believe that in a romantic way, but he’s come to terms with this part of himself. He can’t abandon it now. 

His smile drops from his face as he gets ready to confess. 

“Um, you okay? You seem kinda quiet.” Mia’s expression is slightly anxious, and he feels so guilty but the words can’t come.

“No, yeah. Yeah, I’m great.” He shoots her a smile small, his heart dropping to his stomach.

She smiles back, maneuvering her chopsticks with expertise. “Aha. Cheers.”

They tap sushi, and Victor laughs for a second, falling into the familiar ease of being with her. “Cheers.”

“Should we drop out of high school, run away, and start a sushi restaurant?” She jokes. Victor chuckles, shaking his head once. 

“Mm.” He responds, setting down his chopsticks, knowing that if he doesn’t do it now, he never will. “Hey, Mia, look. I, I, wanted to talk.”

She puts her utensils down, her expression neutral. “Okay. Go ahead.”

Victor takes a deep breath. “I’m gay.”

Mia blinks once, then again. “What?”

“I’m so sorry I lead you on, but I have to break it off now.” He starts, talking quickly to get it out before she gives a visual reaction. “I didn’t really know. At first. I really thought I liked you, and I did, like you. But just not the way you liked me.”

“Victor… I don’t know what to say.” She stammers, clearly in shock.

He desperately wants to grab her hand in comfort, but he doesn’t know if he should. He doesn’t know what to do.

“You don’t have to say anything. I know this is crazy. I just wanted to break things off as soon as I knew for sure. It wouldn’t be okay to string you along any longer. It wasn’t okay to keep dating you when I wasn’t sure. I’m so sorry.”

  
  


Mia looks up at him, tears in her eyes. “I don’t want you to think I’m upset with you for being gay. I really don’t. I just… don’t know what to say around that. I don’t want to be offensive.”

He shakes his head, moving a little in his seat. “You won’t. And if you do, I’ll point it out. I swear. Just say whatever you think you can.”

She avoids his eyes, and that’s when he sees her first tears fall. “Did you-” she sniffs once involuntarily. “Did you ask me out just so people wouldn’t know you were gay?”

“No, I didn’t.” Victor says, his voice surprisingly steady. “I really liked you. I thought it was romantic, but then I felt romantic attraction for a guy, and I realized it was different.”

“Okay.” She responds, and he feels her retreating, slipping away somewhere he can’t follow.

He reaches to take her hand, desperate, before remembering he shouldn’t try to touch her. “I don’t expect you to accept my apology. Not now, not ever. I know I really hurt you. But I love you, Mia, and if there’s any chance I won’t lose you, I’ll take it.”

“What I don’t understand,” she starts, her voice thick with mucus. “Is how you can say you love me, yet lead me on for months.”

“I swear, as soon as I was sure, and I came to terms with it, I came to tell you. There was no boys’ trip last weekend. I went to New York to visit Simon Spier, and he helped me a lot.”

Mia’s face is momentarily shocked as she processes the fact that Victor knows Simon Spier. It soon returns to the betrayed expression he’s hopelessly trying to erase.

“So you lied to me about that too?” The heartbreak in her voice is evident, and it breaks Victor’s heart a little, too.

“I did. And I’m sorry, but I had to lie to everyone since I was sneaking out. But that’s not all I lied to you about.”

She looks at him expectantly, and he can almost feel her bracing herself. “I kissed Benji on our work trip.”

“I thought it might be him.” She says, and Victor does a double take. 

“What?”

Mia sighs, tracing lines in the couch’s fabric. “Something seemed off. I couldn’t put a finger on it, but you guys were so friendly at school, and after that trip, he wouldn’t come near you.”

“I… I’m sorry, Mia.” Victor doesn’t know what he’s trying to say, but he gets it out somehow. “It was a weird moment. We were in this motel, and I don’t even know how it happened, but I kissed him. He pushed me off immediately. I regret it so much.”

They sit for a moment, with Victor listening to Mia cry. He almost reaches out for the third time before remembering it’s not his place. He’s not her boyfriend anymore. 

“I’m really sorry. You don’t have to say anything.” Victor says, moving to get up.

“Wait.” Mia looks over at Victor, placing her hand on his. “You don’t have to go. Let me think for a moment.”

He sits back down, looking straight forward while she collects her thoughts. Seconds go by, then minutes, and by the time she speaks, he has no idea how long it’s been.

“Okay. I forgive you.” The words are so shocking, he just looks at her until she elaborates. “

“You really hurt me, and I have no idea how to deal with it right now, but I know it’s not really your fault. I should’ve been someone you could talk to. And, I haven’t been entirely honest with you, either.”

Victor’s confused, but he watches her take a breath and waits.

“Andrew kissed me. The night you were on that trip, he was at the auction, and he kissed me. I didn’t pull back right away, and I’ve been telling myself that’s because I was so surprised, but I know there was something else, something I need to sort through.”

Her eyes search his as he takes one breath, and then another. Victor knows he has no right to be angry, but something in him still wants to punch Andrew in the face. “Okay. I understand, thank you for telling me.”

Mia laughs, and the sound is welcome, cutting the serious mood in the room. “You look like you want to kill him.

He surprises himself by laughing back. “I kinda do. But I can’t intervene, it’s your life.”

“Yeah. I guess it is.” She responds, accompanied by a sad smile.

They sit like that for another long beat, but this time, the silence is content. After so much explanation, the gentle mutual feeling of understanding is comforting.

She pushes her hair out of her face, wiping at her eyes. “Do you love him?”

The question catches Victor off guard. “What?”

“Do you love Benji?” Mia asks, sitting up to face him. 

“I…” Victor swallows, making up his mind. It doesn’t take long. “Yes. I think so.”

Her smile seems foreign with her splotchy face and red-rimmed eyes, but she punches him on the arm all the same. “Then go get him.”

  
  


Mia waves from the doorway as Victor walks out. He raises a hand to wave back, glancing back, and he sees Mia’s dad’s car pulling into the driveway. With a quick wave to him, Victor speedwalks off, relieved that he got out before he had to meet her parents.

He pulls out his phone, opens Sarah’s contact, and sends a text.

Victor bounces his leg up and down all the way to Brasstown, gaining weird looks from people on the bus. He ignores them, instead looking out the window and hoping he can make his confession and get over these feelings.

When he walks up to the coffee shop and sees two figures inside, his steps become cautious, until he makes out Derek sitting on the other side of the counter from Benji.

He stops short, unsure what to do, until he realizes that this apology extends to both of them. Victor takes a deep breath, pushing the door open despite the closed sign.

Both of their eyes meet his, and Benji freezes in place.

Derek gives him a curt nod, and turns back to their conversation, seemingly confused at how Benji is staring at Victor.

“Hey, guys.” Victor says, warily looking at Benji, who’s still gaping at him, a pitcher in his hands.

“Hi.” Derek responds, sitting up and crossing his arms. “Do you have work to do or something?”

Victor’s slightly taken aback by his defensive position, but he quickly remembers his birthday party. It feels like such a long time ago.

“Hey, Derek, I just wanted to say sorry for my birthday party. I shouldn’t have pretended like you guys weren’t together at all.” He says, seeing Benji glance away out of the corner of his eye.

Derek gives a tight smile. “Okay. Thanks. Bye.”

Victor decides not to press, but as he’s about to turn and start his apology, Benji speaks up. “Derek, he stood up for us at the party. He apologized to me. Would you please just get over it?”

Clearly, Benji must not stand up to him often, because shock seems to run through the room. Derek stands up, and when he sees the way Benji flinches back, Victor flares with anger.

“He didn’t apologize to me, did he?” Derek snaps, and Benji crosses his arms, leaning away from him.

“He literally just did.” Benji retorts, and Victor feels… uncomfortable. It’s weird, listening to this couple fight over him like he’s not there, but he also feels like he needs to defend Benji.

Victor stands up tall, trying to appear confident. “Look, guys, I don’t want to interrupt this, but I came here to talk to both of you.”

They both turn to look at him. Derek is clearly angry, probably at both of them, but Benji makes real eye contact with Victor for the first time that night.

Victor hasn’t really seen Benji angry before, and it’s terrifying. But more than anything, Benji looks sad, and that breaks Victor’s heart.

Derek throws his hands up. “Well, spit it out.”

Benji’s still keeping eye contact, and it’s him Victor chooses to look at while he makes his confession.

“Benji, I’m gay, and I’m in love with you.”

The reaction is immediate. Derek stands up, looking at Victor like he’s worthless. “What the fuck?”

“Derek, shut up.” Benji says, almost calmly, and it silences him long enough for Victor to start talking again.

“I don’t know if you read my letter, but I’ll say it again. I’m so sorry for kissing you. And I’m sorry for the way I’m doing this now, but I just got back from Mia’s house to break up with her, and I need to get it off my chest. I-”

He starts a new sentence, but it’s cut off by Derek’s hand on his chest, giving him a firm shove to the side.

“He kissed you? And you didn’t tell me?” He asks Benji, his face turning red.

Benji ignores him at first. “Holy shit, Victor, are you okay?” When he nods, Benji turns to Derek. “You can’t just push him around! I know you’re mad, bu-”

Derek laughs harshly. “You’re mad at me? What the hell happened, Benji?”

“Listen to me. He kissed me, and I pushed him off. Then I told him we couldn’t be around each other anymore, that’s why I applied to transfer. He wrote me an apology note, saying sorry and it wouldn’t happen again. That’s it.”

Recovering from the shock of getting shoved, Victor looks at Derek. “That’s the truth, I swear.”

“Then why the fuck is he here, saying he loves you?” Derek looks at Benji, ignoring Victor altogether. 

Victor looks between them. He has no idea what Benji’s going to do, but he knows he won’t let Derek hurt him.

Benji’s standing on their side of the counter now, having moved there to see if Victor was okay, and now he’s facing Derek, looking him in the eye.

“I don’t know. I didn’t know what he felt for me before. But Derek, we need to break up.”

The expression on Derek’s face comes first, then the shock that resonates throughout the room, then the hope, rising in Victor’s chest.

“Are you seriously leaving me for some prepubescent high school boy?” He hisses, never yelling, but making the impact just the same. “Benji, what the fuck? Do you even know what you’re doing?”

“Stop treating me like a kid,” Benji says, and Victor’s surprised to see the pain on his face. “All you do is make me feel guilty for liking cliches. I can never be myself around you anymore. I had feelings for someone else, and I couldn’t even tell you about it, because I’m scared of you? What does that say about our relationship?”

He takes a step back, his fingers brushing Victor’s, and then grabbing, holding on tight. “I’m sorry it has to be like this. I’m sorry I didn’t admit it to myself sooner. We just don’t work together anymore. It was a good year.”

Derek runs his hands through his hair, his face turning red. “Benji, you don’t mean this.”

His voice is firm in reply. “Yes, I do.”

Derek puts his hand on Benji’s arm. “Come home with me. We can talk about this.”

“No. We’re over. If there’s anything you don’t understand, we can talk about it later. I need to go home now.” Benji takes a step back, but Derek’s grip only tightens. Victor sees it as a red flag.

“You don’t know what you’re doing. Come on.” He says, trying to pull Benji away.

Benji tries to move his arm away. “No. Let go of me.”

When he doesn’t, Victor steps between them. “He said to let go.”

“Stay out of this, asshole.” Derek hisses, letting go of Benji and swinging the back of his palm against Victor’s face, leaving a red mark.

Victor lets go of Benji’s hand to touch the mark on his face. “Calm down!”

“Derek, stop! Why would you hit him?” Benji asks, genuinely upset. Victor just wants the pain in his voice to go away.

“Stop acting like this! Let’s go!” Derek says, roughly grabbing Benji’s arm, and Victor sees red.

He remembers something he read in a gay young adult novel once, and he untucks his thumb from his fist before it makes contact with Derek’s face.

“What the fuck!” Derek cries out immediately, holding his face.

“Holy shit.” Benji breathes, leaning to look at the hit.

Victor stands, still in place, watching Benji inspect the mark his fist made. “Derek, I didn’t mean to do that. I’m sorry, let me-”

Benji interrupts him. “It’ll leave a tiny bruise. Put some ice on it.” He says plainly, and Victor can’t help but think how uncharacteristic his words are. Benji takes him by the hand and leads him out of the building, leaving Derek cursing behind them.

He unlocks his car, opens the passenger side door for Victor, and gets in the driver’s side, with no interaction but grabbing Victor’s hand over the dash and intertwining their fingers.

Victor only objects once he starts the car. “Are you sure you should be driving?”

Benji keeps looking straight ahead. “My suspension expired two days ago.”

He drives until they’re pulling into a small park, leading Victor by the hand to a small bench. They sit, and Victor looks at him as he buries his face in his hands.

“You punched my ex-boyfriend in the face.” Benji says finally, propping his chin up on his hands. “And it was fucking awesome.”

Victor wants to laugh, but he’s more worried about Benji than anything else. “He hurt you. I can’t believe he grabbed you like that. I had to do something about it.”

Benji looks at him for a moment, his eyes soft and sweet. “I love you, too.”

“Oh.” Is all Victor can say before they’re both leaning in, their lips meeting in the darkness. Victor wants to sigh at the feeling of their mouths moving against each other, perfectly in sync.

They break apart, and when Benji leans in again, Victor places a hand on his chest. “Are you sure? I don’t want to take advantage of you while emotions are running high.”

The look on Benji’s face isn’t something Victor can read, but part of it is love. Love. Something he can finally express.

“You’re so…” Benji trails off, laughing and dropping his head onto Victor’s chest. “Sweet.”

He leans back on the bench, resting his head on Victor’s shoulder.

“Do you wanna talk?” Victor asks softly, playing with a piece of Benji’s hair.

“Not just yet. Soon.” Benji promises, closing his eyes.

Victor presses a kiss to his head. “Okay. I love you.”

Benji smiles. “I love you, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I have to say, I’ve had a really rough couple of weeks and an especially rough day. Not feeling good about myself, especially my writing abilities, paired with some personal stuff and problems with my illness have really culminated in a shitty time. I didn’t feel great about this piece. Recently I’ve really been doubting my writing, and some other stuff going on has caused me to feel more like that. I wrote this one for fun, out of a sort of crack request where my best friend asked me to write Victor punching Derek. Please let me know if you managed to enjoy this in a comment below. 
> 
> I’m looking for requests! Specifically for Love, Victor and Love, Simon, but also any other fandoms you’d like to see me write. I’m running out of good ideas and I’d really love to breathe some life back into my writing and make it feel memorable with requests from you! Please let me know what you’d like to see from me in the comments.


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